The Queen shared her first Instagram post

08/03/2019

The Queen has published her first ever Instagram post during a visit celebrating the technology of communications at the Science Museum.

The monarch, who formally opened the museum’s new Smith Centre, was shown iconic communications objects from throughout history, including an enigma machine and the computer on which the World Wide Web was created.

The message, which was shared by the Queen to 4.6 millions followers of the @TheRoyalFamily account, was shared alongside images of a letter from the Royal Archives that was written to Prince Albert. It read:

“Today, as I visit the Science Museum I was interested to discover a letter from the Royal Archives, written in 1843 to my great-great-grandfather Prince Albert. Charles Babbage, credited as the world’s first computer pioneer, designed the ‘Difference Engine’, of which Prince Albert had the opportunity to see a prototype in July 1843. In the letter, Babbage told Queen Victoria and Prince Albert about his invention the ‘Analytical Engine’ upon which the first computer programmes were created by Ada Lovelace, a daughter of Lord Byron. Today, I had the pleasure of learning about children’s computer coding initiatives and it seems fitting to me that I publish this Instagram post, at the Science Museum which has long championed technology, innovation and inspired the next generation of inventors.

The Queen sent her first tweet back in 2014, when she opened a new exhibition at the Science Museum. In 1976, she became the first monarch to send an email during a visit to an army base and, in 2007, she launched the first official British Royal Family Channel on YouTube.

Most of the senior British royals don’t have their own social media accounts. Instead, they share news about their engagements and charity work through accounts linked to the royal residences. Princess Eugenie is one exception – the Queen’s granddaughter launched her own official Instagram account in March last year. She has used it to share some personal posts, including throwback snaps of her family and behind-the-scenes photos from her wedding to Jack Brooksbank.